Mocha Cake

This is a 3-layer 9 inch double chocolate cake with chocolate chips, coffee and mocha icing.  The cake mix is super moist and thick, one of those cakes that makes you say, “Mmmm,” when you bite into it.  This is the same recipe I used for the mocha cupcakes, only as a cake.   I used Wilton’s press set for the designs and traced over them.  The press sets are great for someone who’s not a natural artist, and it also allows you to plan exactly where you’re going to put the designs so they’re spaced out well.  I mixed the coffee icing with some chocolate icing to make the mocha flavor, and to add a different color.

This cake is also a 3-layer 9 inch cake.  This time, I wanted it to be a little more decorated.  The roses are made out of milk chocolate, which I used a mold to make the chocolates.  The middle design is lattice, surrounded by chocolate roses and mocha icing.  The cake is covered in coffee icing, and the darker brown icing is a mixture of chocolate icing and coffee icing.

Mocha Cake Recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

1 cup milk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare threee 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.  Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and coffee granules to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.  Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.  Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.  Cover cake with coffee icing, chocolate ganache, and chocolate covered espresso beans

Coffee Icing Recipe:

1 stick butter

1 cup vegetable shortening

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 lbs confectioners sugar

1/2 cup strong coffee

Cream first 3 ingredients for 5 minutes.  Add sugar and coffee, beat for another 5 minutes.